Grapple.



N0a 844,032. PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907. E. Y. MOORE.

GRAPPLH APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1906.

INVENTOR,

' DY VQMa/ HMWM ATTYS.

'rns NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, n4 1:.

EDWARD Y. MOORE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

GRAPFLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed August 4, 1906. Serial No 329,269.

To alt ZU/LOITI/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Y. MOORE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Grapples, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide a very simple and efficientgrapple to grasp a load to be elevated by a hoist.

My grapple is especially designed for use with an ammunitionhoist, beingso formed that it may conveniently grasp a shell and securely hold it.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described, and its essentialcharacteristics set out in the claims.

The drawings show my grapple. I

Figure 1 1s a perspectlve view thereof. Fig. 2 is a cross-section. Fig.3 is a plan, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view, of the nut which securesthe swivel-pin and carries the clamping-lever.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the body of the grapple,which consists of a rigid arc-shaped member,(a single casting, forexample) extendingperipherally for over half a circumference and havingsuch width lateral as may give it proper strength and a proper hold onthe shell. The shell is indicated in dotted lines by Z in Figs. 1 and 2.When this shell is resting on a support, the body of the grapple isslipped over it endwise. This grapple-body extends sufficiently beyondthe semicircumference to secure an efficient grasp on the shell, while,on the other hand, it terminates sufficiently short of a wholecircumference to allow it to be conveniently slipped over the shell, asindicated in Fig. 2.

B represents a supporting-bar, which is swiveled to the grapplebody. Asshown in the drawings, this swiveling is accomplished by a swivel-pin C,which has a head 0 seating in a recess on the under side of thegrapplebody, the pin extending upward through. an opening in the bodyand through a boss 0, formed on the body, and then passing through theswivel-bar B, a nut D screwing onto the pin above the bar. This nutrests on a shoulder 0 formed on the pin, so that the nut may be tightlyclamped without binding the bar. The swivel-bar near its ends is formedto present a pair of open vertical recesses 6.

These recesses are occupied by sheaves E, which are journaled on pins 6,passing through the walls of the recesses and being clamped byset-screws a bearing on these pins. Cables X, depending from anysuitable hoisting mechanism, pass beneath the sheaves E, as shown inFig. 1, and furnish means for elevating the load.

For effectively and quickly clamping the shell in the grapple I providea clampingplunger F, which is mounted in a bore of the swivel-pin C.This plunger projects at its lower end through a reduced portion of thebore and is adapted to bear on the shell and clamp it in the grapple, asindicated in Fig. 2. The plunger has a head f, and between this head andthe bottom of the bore is a spring G, tending to elevate the plunger andnormally holding it up out of the way. The plunger is depressed wheneverdesired by the earn-lever H, which is pivoted between lugs d, risingfrom the nut D.

It is particularly important in an ammunition-hoist that the load begrasped and elevated quickly. As such hoists are used on shipboard,where there may be considerable swinging movement, it is important thatthe shell be tightly clamped to the grapple to prevent it beingaccidentally dropped therefrom. My grapple has been designed with boththese essentials in view. It may he slipped over the shell and clampedin stantly. The hold obtained on the shell is very effective, while theshell may be instantly released when desired.

1. In a grapple, the combination of a rigid arc-shaped member extendingperipherally for over a simicircumference and uninterrupt edlythroughout its width, and supporting means adapted to carry such memberwith its opening downward, whereby the member may be passedlongitudinally over the end of a substantially horizontal cylindricalobject.

2. In a grapple, the combination of a rigid arc-shaped member extendingfor over a semicircumference, a swivel-pin secured at substantially themid-point of such member and a supporting-bar swiveled to such member bysuch pin.

3. In a grapple, in combination, a rigid arc-shaped member extending formore than a semicircumference, a supporting-bar, means swiveling saidbar to the member, and clamping mechanism for holding the load withinsaid member.

4. In a grapple, in combination, a rigid arc-shaped member extending formore than a semicircumference, a supporting-bar, a pin swiveling saidbar to the member, and a clamping-pin mounted in the swivel-pin.

5. In a grapple, in combination, load-holding mechanism, a bar swiveledthereto, a clamping-pin passing through such swivel, and a cam foroperating such pin.

6. In a grapple, in combination, load-holding mechanism, asupporting-bar, a swivel pin holding said bar to said mechanism, aclamping-pin passing through such swivelpin, a spring within theswivel-pin tending to force the clamping-pin outwardly, and means foroperating such clamping-pin" 7. In a grapple, the combination ofloadholding mechanism, a supporting-bar, a tubular pin swiveling saidbar to such mechanism, a nut screwing onto the pin, a cam-lever mountedon the nut, and a clamping-plunger mounted in the swivel-pin andoperated by said cam-lever.

8. In a grapple, the combination of loadholding mechanism, asupporting-bar, a tubular pin swiveling said bar to such mechanism, anut screwing onto the pin, ears on said nut, a cam-lever mounted betweensaid cars, a clamping-plunger mounted in the swivel pin and operated bysaid cam-lever, and a helical spring surrounding the plunger within theswivel-pin.

9. In a grapple, the combination of a rigid arc-shaped member extendingfor over a semicircumierence, a supporting-bar swiveled to such member,said swivel-bar having near its ends recesses extending crosswise of thebar, and sheaves mounted in said recesses.

10. In a grapple, the combination of a rigid U-shaped member formed tograsp a round body by extending for more than a semicircumferencethereof, and supporting means on the outer side of said member andcarrying it at substantially the mid-point thereof, whereby said membermay depend with its opening downward.

11. A grapple comprising a rigid U-shaped member, and a supporting-barswiveled to the midpoint of such member 12. In a grapple, thecombination of a rigid U-shaped member, a supporting-bar swiveled to themid-point of such member by a swivel-pin, and a clamping-pin mounted insuch swivel-pin.

13. The combination of flexible mechanism, load-supporting mechanism, abar swivelly secured to said load-supporting mechanism and supported bysaid flexible mechanism, a clamping-pin passing through the swivel, anda cam for operating such pin.

14. The combination of depending flexible raising mechanism,load-supporting mechanism, a bar swiveled to said load-supportingmechanism, and supported by said flexible raising mechanism, aclamping-pin passing through the swivel, a spring surrounding saidclamping-pin and adapted to be compressed between shoulders on the pinand the swivel, a lever pivotally carried by the swivel, and a cam onsaid lever for operating said pin.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses' EDWARD Y. MOORE. IVitnesses S. E. Fours, a G. W. SAYWELL.

